MIRACLES OF JESUS
Devotion Motion #2
This lesson plan is copyrighted and belongs to the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian,
Cary North Carolina. It may be used for non-profit uses only.
DEVOTION MOTION 2 This workshop will last 45 minutes.
SCRIPTURE: Blind Man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26). Key Verse (Mark 8:23) And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village...
OBJECTIVES: The children will experience thankfulness for Gods gift of sight.
The children will experience trust, like the blind man had in Jesus.
The children will understand what wonderful things Jesus accomplished by the power of God..
CONCEPT: Define miracle for children (miracle - a wonderful event which shows us the power of God, or an especially vivid moment when as a result of an unexpected and surprising event, one becomes aware of the presence and power or God at work).
The children will vividly experience this miracle of Jesus by playing games that involve being sight impaired. The games will also involve trust, like the blind man had in Jesus as he let Jesus lead him out of the village. This activity will provide the Kinesthetic learner with the movement that facilitates high level retention and creative thought.
1. Welcome the kids. Open the time with prayer. In your prayer, thank God for each person gathered there and ask God to help you see/hear/experience Gods awesome power . If you are not comfortable using your own prayer, find one in a resource book in library, ask someone to write one for you to use.
2. Make sure you know each childs name and use their names when speaking with them. You may want to have each child introduce themselves in a game appropriate for DEVOTION MOTION.
For example: Hi, my name is ______________and I like to _____________ (jump, run, skip, reach high, etc.) Have kids choose a gross motor movement to introduce themselves, or any other activity that you like that encourage them to move and think of movement words.
3. Introduce the bible lesson. You may choose to tell the story, read the scripture from your bible, have kids find bible passage and you read it, have kids find it and volunteer to read it, have it written on scroll and read it, have it printed out in large print for all to read together - you choose how you feel is best for you and your teaching style. What method best suits the story? How old are the kids? Whatever method of introducing the bible lesson you choose, it is recommended that you use either the New Revised Standard Version or Contemporary English Version.
4. Activity: Games! Some suggestions are given below. Try a variety. Remember that you will need to prepare for two different age groups - K-2nd and 3-5th. The games might be the same, but instructions may need to be modified for each group.
a. Have kids partner up and have one be sight impaired. This would involve placing a scarf around the eyes of one child in each pair. The non-blindfolded child could lead the sight impaired child through a maze of chairs, trees, ropes, etc. Switch partners. Older kids can do this by not physically leading the blindfolded person, but by giving very clear directions as to how to go - e.g., turn left, go 3 steps, turn right, etc.
b. Have all kids cover their eyes and try and get them to keep eyes tightly covered for at least 2 minutes. What happens as they keep their eyes covered? What do they see, what do they hear? Have them slowly uncover their eyes and talk about how they feel. This works well with older kids - discussion should be included. Have them share how their other senses became better as they kept their eyes closed longer.
c. Play a trust game. This game can be very effective, but you need to feel confidant about the group you will be using it with. In this game kids take turns falling backwards into a group. The person falling needs to trust that someone will be there to catch them. It could be you should have kids fall into your arms, or those of youth helpers, if you have any.
d. Another trust game. Have all kids cross hand and join crossed hands with others to form a circle. Once circle is formed, everyone leans back. The group trusts that no one will break the circle/let go or else everyone falls!
e. Have all kids put on blindfolds and have them experience objects through their other senses to guess what they are. For example, fork, flower, sand paper, etc.
f. See attached sheet for other games.
5. Discussion - This can be a discussion of what they experiences through the games or a discussion of the bible story. Ideally, it would be about both. How did the games help them understand the story?
a. How do you think the blind man felt when some people brought him to Jesus?
b. Did the blind man trust Jesus? How do we know this? (let Jesus lead him out of the village and spit on his eyes!)
c. What did the man see at first?
d. Why do you think Jesus didnt want the man to go back to the village?
e. How did you feel when you could see again?
f. Who did you trust more - people you knew or people you didnt know?
6. Remind kids that Jesus was doing Gods work. Jesus was doing Gods will and we, as Christians, are called to take our example from Jesus and do Gods will. How can we be like Jesus?
7. Have kids put either a stamp from your workshop, a sticker or a small item (3 small pieces of string joined with square knot to represent trust, draw an eye or use eye sticker?) in their journal to help them remember where they went and what the workshop was about. This is to help them when they do their journal writing at the end of the day.
Close with a prayer. For example: Wonderful God, thank you for your love and for being a loving God in whom we can trust. Help us to always seek you and keep you in our lives.
TEACHER PREP IN ADVANCE:
1. Decide how you want to present the bible lesson and practice whatever method you choose. Practice telling the story, choose the bible translation that you think best suits the kids needs, get any props you might wish to use (nothing to elaborate for props!)
2. Get all the materials you will need for the games you choose. Soft fabric works well for blindfolds - old sheets torn in strips. Get any objects you want to use for the Guess what it is game -if choose to use that one.
5. Write questions for discussion. Be sure to include both fact recall questions and thinking questions. Be prepared to answer questions kids might have. For example: Why did Jesus use spit instead of just healing the man? If Jesus spit, why shouldnt we? Why didnt Jesus let the man go and tell others he could see? Why didnt Jesus heal the man the first time he tried?
6. Decide what you want to use to mark kids journals. This sticker/stamp/item is to help them remember what they saw, did, learned in your workshop to help them at journal writing at the end of the day. It is NOT to be a craft they do, just a small item you have for them to place in their Daily Journal to encourage them to respond to what they have experienced.
7. Decide how you want to close. Have prayer written - are you going to read it, have kids read it together, one kid read, etc. What if you have extra time? Are there other activities you could do? Have something else up your sleeve just in case you have a few extra minutes.
*Story telling supplies
*stamp/sticker/string(or other item)
Jesus Miracles, J. Nowak, Memorial Presbyterian Church, Xenia, OH
The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus
Puppet Script for 10 characters
NARRATOR 1: Hello, everyone. If you have heard stories about Jesus, you know about the wonderful things he could do.
NARRATOR 2: One day, Jesus was leaving a city with his friends and many
people were following him.
NARRATOR 3: One person who was NOT following him was a blind man named
Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus lived in Jericho, but he came almost
everyday to sit by the roadside so he could beg or ask for money.
NARRATOR 4: That was the only way he could get money to buy food. As
Bartimaeus sat there each day, he heard many sounds and heard
people talking as they passed by. That is how Bartimaeus heard
BARTIMAEUS: There is a lot of traffic on the road today. I wonder what all the
excitement is about. You there, could you tell me what is
PERSON 1: A large crowd is coming down the road just behind me. It seems
like some sort of procession or parade. I must go now.
BARTIMAEUS: I wonder what or who is leading the procession. Pardon me,
could you tell me who is leading the crowd that is coming?
PERSON 2: Yes, it is Jesus. He will be passing by here soon with his followers
on his way to Jericho.
BARTIMAEUS: Jesus! I have heard people talking about him. I have heard about
some of the wonderful things he has done. He has even healed
people! Oh, if only I can get his attention. Maybe he will notice
NARRATOR 1: But as Bartimaeus sat there, he began to think. How could a
blind man possibly push his way through a crowd to find a person
he couldnt see?
NARRATOR 2: Bartimaeus got very sad thinking about that. But - maybe- if
Bartimaeus called out to Jesus.....would he be able to make
himself heard? There was so much noise on the road.
NARRATOR 3: But as Bartimaeus continued to sit there, he decided what he would do.
He waited for the crowd to reach him, he waited until he heard them begin
to pass by him, he waited until he guessed that Jesus was passing him, then.......
BARTIMAEUS: Jesus, help me!
PERSON IN CROWD: SSSH! Be quiet. We are trying to listen to Jesus teach us.
PERSON 2 IN CROWD: Please be quiet - Jesus is busy at the moment.
NARRATOR 4: But Bartimaeus took no notice. He even shouted louder.
BARTIMAEUS: JESUS! JESUS, SON OF DAVID! HELP ME!
JESUS: Bring that man to me.
PERSON IN CROWD: (Helping Bartimaeus up) Come on! Jesus wants you!
PERSON 2 IN CROWD: Here, I will lead you to Jesus. Hold onto me.
NARRATOR 1: Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, in case it should get in his way. He got to
his feet and let himself be led into the crowd.
JESUS: What do you want me to do for you?
BARTIMAEUS: Oh, if only I could see again!
JESUS: Go, your faith has made you well.
NARRATOR 2: And at once, Bartimaeus could see. He could see the sky, sunshine, faces
of the other people. He could see Jesus!
NARRATOR 3: Bartimaeus gave thanks to God and then he joined the crowd following
NARRATOR 4: And when the crowd realized that Bartimaeus could see, they all
praised God and were glad.